"Is it because of the preparation time?"
Seeing how serious Zald was, Duncan asked at once.
"That's certainly one of the key reasons. On top of that, your current Mind and physical strength still aren't enough to properly wield this technique. Once you get past the middle floors of the Dungeon, monsters won't stop coming. Adventurers get very little time to rest."
"And you're a frontliner. Your comrades' safety is on your back. If your movements slow down, it becomes very easy for monsters to break through your line. That would be an utterly irresponsible thing to do to your companions."
"A frontliner's duty is to stop the enemy and protect the safety of those behind them. Any action that goes against that principle is unnecessary."
"When we're gone, remember that well whenever you explore the Dungeon from now on."
"I understa— Huh?"
That evening, after dinner, Duncan took off his clothes early and turned his back so Zeus could update his Status. Blue light flickered across his skin. Then Zeus licked the cut on his fingertip and handed the sheet over.
DuncanLevel 4
Strength: F321Endurance: I82Dexterity: I41Agility: I32Magic: E485
Development Abilities:Agility FFull Recovery HAbnormal Resistance
Magic:Finger WagSilencePiercing Sun
Skills:Otherworld WalkerLucky One?SkystrideSwift Heavenly Advance
Because he had spent the past month focused almost entirely on mastering Light-Splitting Slash, his Endurance, Dexterity, and Agility had not improved much. Strength and Magic, however, had grown at a startling pace.
After reaching Level 4, in addition to gaining Abnormal Resistance, he had also awakened a spell called Piercing Sun. By compressing power into the tip of his spear and unleashing it, it produced an incredibly sharp thrust driven by rotation and piercing force. The concept was simple, but when combined with Swift Heavenly Advance, it could deliver a blow no weaker than the full-force strike of a first-tier adventurer.
He had finally grasped the basic principles of Light-Splitting Slash.
And yet, Duncan felt no joy at all.
Though Zald had been unwilling to say too much during the day, what little he had revealed was already enough.
"Duncan, you've probably guessed it already. I'm planning to head for Dragon Valley with Zald and Alfia. The number of monsters there has been increasing by the day, and both Zald and Alfia urgently need a place where they can raise their Status again."
"Orario will always be the best place to grow stronger, but Hera and I are in exile and cannot return. Zald and Alfia also draw far too much attention. I don't want them entering everyone's sight at this stage. As one of our hidden cards, now is not the time to reveal them."
"Though Orario is called the City of Heroes, there's plenty of darkness mixed in there as well. I'm too old to keep playing cat-and-mouse games with those people. Time is running out. For the sake of the plan several years from now, this is a decision that has to be made."
For once, Zeus didn't call him brat or punk. His tone was solemn.
"…You mean I can't come with you? To Dragon Valley?"
"That place isn't suitable for you right now. Setting aside the danger, there are too many unstable factors lurking in Dragon Valley. If it were up to me, I wouldn't even want to take Bell there. But he's still too young—he can't do what you can. Still, thanks to Alfia and Zald recovering their health, the worst-case scenario is that they can at least protect him."
"But I'm Level 4 too—"
"To that thing, it makes no difference whether you're Level 4 or Level 7."
Zald cut in.
"The black dragon that destroyed both of our Familias is hiding in Dragon Valley even now. If it wakes up at this stage, there will be no hope left in the Lower World. No one alive can stop it—not me, not even Alfia. To be safe, the flame of hope has to be preserved in different places."
"But just because no one can stop it now doesn't mean no one will be able to in the future. You've already given us countless miracles. You've let us see a hope of salvation."
"It may be faint—but even the faintest firefly-light is still light."
"So live. Grow stronger."
"But I never said I wanted to become some kind of hero…"
"That is not up to you."
Zeus grinned like a shameless swindler, though his eyes were full of approval.
"Once you joined my Familia, that became your obligation."
"Listen carefully, brat. Be wary of the bad elements in Orario. Make more companions. That black dragon is not a monster one person can defeat alone. You're sincere with your comrades—but Orario is crawling with schemers. Keep your eyes open. Don't let them fool you."
"Especially the gods. Children can't lie to gods. That makes it very easy for them to coax information out of you."
"Later, I'll switch your status to one pending conversion. Don't worry—nothing changes except that you'll be able to transfer to another Familia. I've already sent Hermes a letter and told him to come pick you up."
"If you truly can't find a Familia you like, Hermes Familia can be your backup. That idiot may not be a very serious god, but at least he gets things done. And because of me, he won't dare make things too difficult for you."
"But don't trust him too much, either. He's got far too many bad habits, and most importantly, he's another one of those gods who loves stirring up trouble. Right now, we all share the same goal—saving the world—so we won't turn against each other. But there's no telling whether he might decide to pull something strange halfway through."
"So you still need to find yourself a good patron deity."
"When we return to Orario, you can convert back. Of course, if you don't want to, staying in your new Familia is fine too."
"I won't change Familias."
Duncan shook his head. The firmness in his voice filled Zeus with grandfatherly satisfaction, and the old god gave his shoulder a heavy pat.
"What are you thinking, brat? Dragon Valley is a month's travel from Orario. If you don't convert, how are you supposed to raise your Status? How are you supposed to level up? Do you expect that by the time we come back, you'll still be a pathetic Level 4?"
"Or do you want to waste a year or two going back and forth like this? If that happens, just wait until Zald and the others beat the stuffing out of you."
"The old man's right. If I come back and find you're still that pitiful little Level 4, then you'll get to live on as nourishment inside my stomach."
Zald chimed in with perfect timing.
The problem was, Duncan strongly suspected that if it really came to that, Zald would actually follow through.
"Otherwise, you can become a lump of flesh beneath my hymn."
The two former Level 7s had united on the same front.
"…I understand."
Duncan nodded with difficulty.
He hugged Bell, who leapt into his arms with obvious reluctance to let go. Perhaps he could tell this conversation was important, because the young boy did not try to protest as he normally would. He only clung tightly to Duncan's back.
During the past year together, Bell had long since come to see this once-strange young man as an older brother.
And to Duncan, it was the same.
He wasn't someone like Alise—he didn't have that natural ease with people, the sort that let her grow close to others instantly. If not for Bell, who knew how long it would have taken him to truly融入 this world and this family?
"Bell. We'll meet again later. I hope that by then, you'll have grown into a man who can stand tall."
"…Mm!"
"That's enough. The discussion is over. Get some rest and prepare yourself for tomorrow."
Apparently satisfied that neither of them had broken down crying or caused a scene, Alfia stood from her chair and spoke.
"Tomorrow?"
Duncan blinked.
"Of course. In school terms, if you're graduating, then naturally you'll need to take your final exam."
Alfia looked down at him from above.
"The test is simple."
"I'm Level 4 too."
....
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